Michigan Democrat Sen. Gary Peters says tariffs can be a ‘tool’ if used thoughtfully

Michigan Democrat Sen. Gary Peters said a future Democratic president shouldn’t fully take tariffs off the table, calling them a useful “tool” if used in a “smart way.”

Peters, whose state is home to the largest American automakers, said across-the-board tariffs such as those implemented by US President Donald Trump’s administration could be “destructive and damaging.”

Though he said there could be a return to “a time where tariffs can be a surgical tool, but it has to be done in a thoughtful, thoughtful way. What we’re seeing from the Trump administration… that’s simply not the case.”

Speaking at Semafor World Economy in Washington, DC, Peters also called Chinese autonomous vehicles both a “national security issue” and an “economic security issue” for the US.

Referring to a recently signed agreement between Ottawa and Beijing, which will see Canada import more Chinese-made electric vehicles, Peters said the US needed to rebuild its relationships with its longtime allies. “When you start poking your friend in the eye, then they do things like… Well, maybe we’ll let China come into our country,” he said of Canada’s recent decision.